Question: It’s 6:28a.m. on 8/29/11. I’ve been awake since approximately 5:30a.m., and I don’t plan on sleeping again any time soon. I’m writing this mostly as a ‘note-to-self’ that I can refer to if (when) this happens again.
I’ve been reading other stories here, and they are terrifying (this probably wasn’t the best site to visit after what I just experienced, but curiosity got the best of me). This term, sleep paralysis, is new to me, along with the concept of hypnopompic sleep, but these are terms I’ll never forget. So, I’m a 33 year old male. I’m good at pretending I’m tough generally, but this morning, not so much. This week, I’m house/baby sitting for a friend on vacation. This place is a duplex, so all the creaks and thumping from the neighbors does not help ease my nerves. I’m trying to make sense out of what I have experienced, and even after reading similar stories here, along with the scientific explanation that may notate what has occurred, my situation still feels unique. This is not the first occurrence. My friend has lived in this place for well over a year, and in that time I’ve had at least 3 similar experiences. This only happens when I fall asleep in this house, and I’d be lying if I said that I’m not beginning to believe this place is haunted.The worst experience took place between 4-6 months ago. I was in the basement playing a video game (not a scary one–it was a bullet hell shooter), but I was extremely tired. I was here alone, waiting on my friend to get home so we could go and catch a movie (or something). I suppose I was attempting to ‘man up’-this was after my first experience, so I was already slightly spooked by this place, but my weariness superseded my fear, and I dozed off. There were these moments before truly waking when I heard things, and saw things through a black and gray filter. In that windowless basement I felt the
presence of a woman. If she said things, I don’t remember what they were. What I do recall is the unwelcome feeling she extended to me. She paced nearby while I struggled to sit up and leave the area (sleep paralysis). She would infrequently kneel beside me. The ‘event’ ended when she temporarily disappeared, and I felt something touching one of my legs (I was laying on my side on a couch, half on it, half off of it). I don’t remember if I looked down or not, but I knew it was a hand. It was like she was pulling me into the floor, and I genuinely felt as if I was sinking. That was all the encouragement I needed to move my body, and I certainly did–I ran out of the house, and sat outside until my friend arrived.Today’s experience was frightening, but in retrospect, not as bad as the aforementioned. I have a hard time sleeping in a place that is not my own, so I often take nighttime cold meds (this time I happen to have a cold, so I guess it’s ok?). I watched several movies (the first was called ‘What Dreams May Come’) and went to bed around 2a.m. In that hypnopompic moment a child entered the room, or at least the silhouette of a child. He moved close to me and said something like the following: “Duh-Ra-Tub-Ba.”The ‘words’ were softly spoken, and said as if they made sense. I in turn uttered something I cannot transcribe. It was like a moan–I was trying to speak, but whatever I meant to say came out wrong. The child replied to my utterance with “Duh-Ra-Toe-Bye.” I spoke the name of the child I am watching, thinking he was standing beside me, but when I sat up the image before me was gone. Why does this only occur in this house? Why do I keep seeing the same woman and child (I think it’s the same woman and child)? I’m stuck in this house for 2 more nights!!! Wish me luck.